Rounds were up 13.5 percent in New England and 10.2 percent in Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Ohio. Illinois had the largest monthly increase at 20.8 percent.

Rounds are up 0.5 percent year to date, led by a 0.8 percent increase among public courses. Private courses are down -0.7 percent.

The findings represent 4225 reporting courses, according to Golf Datatech.

Of course, rounds and revenue aren't the same story. The National Golf Foundation recently surveyed 300 golfers about their golfing and spending habits. Sixty-one percent said they were playing during off-peak days/times to manage their costs, 58 percent said they were playing less-expensive courses, and 53 percent said they were spending less on food and beverage.

Steve Skinner, CEO of Kemper Sports, told NGF: Many assume that since rounds are flat, revenues should be as well. But the rounds number tends to obscure what is really happening throughout the industry. Member rounds are up, value course rounds are up, off-peak is up. So as an industry as a whole, revenue per round and total revenues are actually down."

Rounds were down 1.8 percent in 2008 compared to 2007.